Hand Sanitizer in Outdoor Spaces

We receive a lot of questions about hand sanitizer from parents like, "how often should I use hand sanitizer when I go to a park?" or "are there any parks that provide hand sanitizer for visitors?" School teachers and principals are interested in making sure hand sanitizer is always available outdoors. They ask us questions, such as "is there a way to keep hand sanitizer in my outdoor learning areas?"

People are more interested than ever in how to make sure hand sanitizer is available when they are outdoors. Health Canada recommends the use of hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. During a recent online survey, 83% of parents told us they would feel more comfortable taking their children to a park or playground if there was hand sanitizer available when they arrived. 94% of school teachers told us they would like to have permanent dispensers for hand sanitizer outdoors near playgrounds or athletic fields. And 100% of respondents stated they believe hand sanitizer is an essential service for outdoor places.

Hand Sanitizer Stations from GameTime make it easy to keep hand sanitizing liquids in your parks, playgrounds and other outdoor recreation spaces.

GameTime offers outdoor hand sanitizer stations that work with most hand sanitizer dispensers, including pump bottles, lever dispensers, and touch-free dispensers. These durable steel and aluminum enclosures are weather-resistant, easy to install with the included post, or on a wall. They include a keyed lock to make sure hand sanitizer bottles stay in place and the included instructional labels on the front panel to make it easy to identify them as hand sanitizer stations.

If you are thinking about adding hand sanitizer stations to your outdoor space, here are some things to consider:

1. At parks or playgrounds, plan for a hand sanitizer station at the entrance and in at least one other place so children and parents don't have to walk back to the front entrance
   1. High traffic areas like picnic tables, benches, and other seating areas are good places to install outdoor hand sanitizer stations
   2. Play activities that involve a high degree of contact, like swing sets where parents push swing seats or help children in and out of a swing, are good locations to include hand sanitizer stations
2. Hand sanitizer stations are also important at any place where people congregate outdoors, such as zoos, children's museums, service stations, shopping centers, and entertainment centers.
3. At schools, outdoor hand sanitizers can be beneficial for students, teachers, and parents near athletic fields, outdoor classrooms, playgrounds, and bus/car rider lines.
4. On college campuses, hand sanitizer stations can be included outside education and administration buildings, along sidewalks, near athletic fields, or in a quad or common area.
5. If you have an outdoor fitness space, consider adding hand sanitizers with each fitness station, at trailheads, or near parking areas.

If you have questions about choosing the right outdoor hand sanitizer station, contact your local GameTime representative. They can help you pick the right design and number of stations for your specific need.